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“Mother—”
“I just find the subjects fascinating,” said Brielle. “I’ve been applying to basically any entry-level office job. As far as using my majors, well, I applied for a few museums, but no luck so far.”
“I imagine they want people with PhDs for that.” Archer’s mother drummed her manicured nails on the wheel.
“There are some lower-level jobs,” said Brielle, her head bowed as she played with her fingers on her lap.
“You know, I know somebody who works at the Field Museum of Natural History.” Mrs. Ward took a breath. “I should call him up for you.”
“Mother, please don’t interfere with—”
“Oh, that’d great!” Brielle spoke so quickly and with such excitement, even though it was like she’d stabbed Archer in the back while smiling about it.
“Give me your info before you leave,” she said.
“I will,” said Brielle, and she looked so happy, Archer felt bad for even feeling hurt that she was so anxious to leave town and what little they had behind.
* * *
“Good-bye! Good luck, dear!” Mrs. Ward waved to Brielle as she tucked the piece of paper she’d written her name and number down on into her purse. Archer watched the paper greedily, realizing his mother now had Brielle’s contact information and he’d yet to get it. He had the Scrubbing Cherubs number, and he knew it was likely Brielle’s mother would answer, but that would be one of the most awkward conversations he’d ever had.
Archer waited until his mother had opened his door and the two of them stepped inside completely. Of course she’d insisted on stepping inside for “coffee,” even though tomorrow was her day with him, it was getting late, and she’d already had coffee earlier from Starbucks. Once she shut the door, he spun on her in the living room of his condo. “What do you think you were doing?”
Dropping her purse on the kitchen counter, Mrs. Ward turned on his Keurig. “Well, that’s a fine way for you to thank me for going out of my way to help your friends this evening.”
“You promised me you weren’t coming tonight.”
“I promised nothing of the sort.”
Archer wheeled closer, trapping his mother in the kitchen. “Youimpliedyou were going to a dinner with Dad.”
She grabbed one of the K-Cups out of the small open jar he kept them in and took down a couple of mugs from the higher-up cupboards, where she kept the things she liked to use when there. “Do you want any?” she asked, making herself a cup.
“No, Mother, I don’t want coffee at ten o’clock at night. I want…” He rubbed his temple. “I just… want some privacy once in a while.”
The sound of the Keurig as it finished brewing was so loud, it called to mind the cartoonish depictions of old-fashioned tea kettles practically about to blow. Something his mother said went unheard beneath the noise.
“What?” said Archer, his tone short and clipped, his hand flying back down to his lap.
She was in tears as she gestured around. “What do you call this? This place? This life your father and I provide for you? Iwantedyou home. I don’t see why you couldn’t do your drawings at home.”
Archer blew out a deep breath. “I know. I’m sorry. That came out the wrong way, but—”
“And I try to make sure you’re okay, even when I’m not here.” The Keurig, briefly quiet, started growling again as it tried to keep the water still left warm. “I make arrangements with Pauline for your therapy and extra needs and to get you out of the house on occasion.”
“I know, I know, I appreciate it. But tonight was me getting out of the house, me doing something on my own—”
“It was you having abook signingand not wanting your own mother there! What kind of mother would I be if I didn’t go and support you?”
She didn’t evenreadhis comics, he was sure of it. She’d tried readingWheelsonce, but she had no interest inThe Mystified. Not that he cared. “You’d be a mother who respected her son’s request.”
She looked as if she’d been slapped and she flicked the Keurig off to quiet it mid-growl. “You never said Iwasn’tinvited!”
“I thought I didn’thave toonly because you told me you had a dinner tonight!” He slammed his palms on his wheels. “I was outright going to ask younot to gountil you said that.”
Water flowed freely down her cheeks. “I thought youwantedme to go. You wanted me to cancel my plans to go.”
“No!” Archer wrung his hands through his hair. “I’mgladwhen you have a life outside of me. Iwant youto do things for yourself.”
